Category: Crime & Corruption News

Those responsible for the murder of an Eldorado Park teenager this week will face the full might of the law, Police Minister Bheki Cele has assured the enraged community.

Cele made the commitment on Friday after visiting the family of Nathaniel Julius, 16, who was shot dead on Wednesday evening.

The Minister’s vow was reiterated by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who mourned the slain teenager in a statement.

On Thursday, angered residents took to the streets, calling for justice for Nathaniel, alleging that the youngster, who lived with a disability, died at the hands of an identified police officer.

Cele said: “We hear what you are saying. A young, innocent soul has been killed. The allegation is that a member of the SAPS is involved in that killing, therefore, police cannot investigate themselves. That is the reason the case has been given to IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] to investigate what exactly happened. We hope they will find what happened and we will then be able to report [back] to the community.”

The Minister assured the seething community that the culprits responsible for the teenager’s murder would face the full might of the law.

“Whoever committed the crime will have to face the law. It doesn’t matter who’s that person. The case already been given to the IPID. We don’t want the police to be seen to be interfering. We will find the answers,” he said.

He urged those privy to the circumstances around the incident to approach the IPID with the relevant information.

“Come forward with the information so we can move faster [with investigation],” he said.

Regarding requests for the release of community leaders arrested in the wake of the violence on Thursday, Cele said police would engage the National Prosecuting Authority.

Offering condolences to the family, President Ramaphosa called for restraint, saying the death was being investigated.

In the statement, the President said the violent death of any young person is a matter of concern.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and neighbours of Nathaniel, who has, as a 16-year-old, been deprived of a future and whose tragic death has given rise to anger and unrest in a community that deserves better.”

The President says that while communities have a right to express dissent, anger should not spill over into action that could worsen the trauma already experienced by citizens.

“Justice can only prevail if community workers work with our criminal justice system to address alleged injustice or abuse.”

President Ramaphosa further urged Eldorado Park residents and authorities at municipal and provincial level to work together more closely to address underlying socio-economic challenges in this locality, including the fight against crime.

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has applauded law enforcement officials for the arrest of three Home Affairs officials and their external partners involved in issuing fraudulent identity documents.

The officials were arrested in two separate operations in Emalahleni and Pretoria.

Edwell Muntu Monareng, a mobile operator from the Emalahleni Home Affairs office in Mpumalanga, was arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday and appeared in court on Thursday for corruption.

Monareng was arrested in a sting operation involving the Hawks, SAPS Crime Intelligence and the Department of Home Affairs Counter Corruption unit.

He was arrested for paying a bribe of R13 000 to a Home Affairs Counter Corruption officer, who was investigating him for birth certificate fraud. The bribe was to make the fraud charge disappear.

Counter Corruption officers reported the attempted bribe and a sting operation was arranged to arrest him when he paid the bribe.

Monareng was also being investigated by a Home Affairs Counter Corruption official for fraudulently registering a Pakistani national and issuing him with a birth certificate.

According to the department, Monareng became the focus of the investigation after a member of the South African Police Service, based at the King Shaka International Airport, questioned a Pakistani national, who was preparing to travel on a South African passport.

The Pakistani national looked older than the age recorded in the fraudulent passport. Upon further investigation, they found his Pakistani passport with a different date of birth and surname.

The Pakistani national was arrested and charged with possession of a fraudulent South African passport and for contravention of the Immigration Act.

The police referred the matter to Home Affairs Counter Corruption.

“Using technology-enabled security features built into the system, an internal Home Affairs investigation established that Monareng had registered the Pakistani’s birth and issued a birth certificate. This birth certificate was later used to apply for the passport at the Empangeni Home Affairs office in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The investigation into the activities of Monareng also flagged another 131 transactions, which are suspected to be fraudulent and were completed by Monareng between April 2018 and January 2019.  The department is continuing with the investigation into the 131 suspected cases and will be initiating a disciplinary process against Monareng,” the department said.

Monareng appeared in court on Thursday and was released on a R3 000 bail. He is scheduled to reappear in court on 9 October 2020.

In a separate operation, law enforcement arrested Chinas Mohlolo, a former Home Affairs supervisor who left the department on 30 September 2019; Percy Mabena, an administrative officer at the Home Affairs office in Pretoria, and two Zimbabwean nationals Thubelihle Nyathi and Khumbulani Moyo.

The Home Affairs Counter Corruption unit initiated an investigation after an official reported to them that Mohlolo had demanded the login details of the junior official.

Mohlobo proceeded to change Moyo’s records to Callos Mazibuko, with a South African ID.

After Moyo’s arrest, he identified Nyathi, who is not a Home Affairs official, as the person who introduced him to Mabena.

“It is alleged that Mabena liaised with Mohlolo to have Moyo’s records fraudulently altered. The department is investigating transactions linked to both Mabena and Mohlolo. In addition, disciplinary processes are being initiated against Mabena,” the department said.

All four accused appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on fraud and corruption charges. They also face additional charges of contravening the Immigration Act, the Identification Act and the Births and Deaths Registration Act.

Mabena and Mohlolo were granted R 2 000 bail, Nyathi and Moyo were denied bail and they remain in custody.

The accused are scheduled to appear at the same court on 7 September 2020.

Motsoaledi said he was encouraged that there are officials at Home Affairs and in the police who reported and acted swiftly to root out corruption.

“We will continue to monitor all reported cases to ensure that perpetrators and beneficiaries of fraudulent activities are brought to justice and sent to jail where they belong. We are clearly benefitting from introducing technology based security features in our processes.

“It is only when people report suspected wrongdoing that we will turn the tide against maladministration, fraud and corruption. I continue to support the efforts of law enforcement agencies in ensuring that all forms of maladministration are rooted out of the Department of Home Affairs,” Motsoaledi said.

Motsoaledi encouraged South Africans to ensure that their children are registered within 30 days of birth.

The Minister also encouraged anyone, who may have information about corrupt or any other criminal activities, to contact the South African Police Service or the anti-corruption unit of the department.

People with information can contact the National Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701 and the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Unit on 012 406 4318.

Six men have been arrested for the alleged theft of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) assets, worth R5.5 million.

The men were arrested during a joint operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the agency’s protection officers on Thursday morning.

“The operation started earlier today with PRASA security personnel following up on their investigation into theft of the agency’s assets, mainly copper cables and signalling equipment,” PRASA said of the Johannesburg arrests.

Equipment used in illegal mining was also recovered.

“This is fuelling suspicion that elements involved in illegal mining, known as the zama-zamas, are now targeting rail infrastructure. Today’s operation between SAPS and PRASA is part of ongoing efforts by the rail agency working with the police and other stakeholders to curtail the economic sabotage against its network, which has been ramped up during the lockdown period,” PRASA said.

The suspects are being held at the Florida police station.

PRASA has called on the National Prosecuting Authority to prosecute the suspects under economic sabotage charges.

“The sabotage against PRASA’s infrastructure is an attack on the country and its economy and it mostly affects low-income earners and the poor, who rely on passenger rail for affordable transport to and from work.

“PRASA further calls on members of the public to join the effort to preserve the country’s rail infrastructure by reporting incidents of sabotage against its infrastructure to the police,” the agency said.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and Human Settlements has launched an investigation over the illegal allocation and sale of government houses in Ekurhuleni.

The investigation pertains to government houses in Clayville Extension 45 Ward 1, Ekurhuleni and Extension 71 Ward 92, Tembisa.

The committee made shocking discoveries when committee Chairperson Kedibone Diale was conducting unannounced oversight visits to government housing developments in the Ekurhuleni and City of Johannesburg regions on Wednesday.

The committee decided to conduct the oversight visits to verify allocation of RDP houses, in an effort to ensure the Fleurhof crisis does not repeat itself.

During an inspection in Extension 45 Ward 1, the committee learnt that from 2017, government officials allegedly sold houses to desperate South Africans in need of shelter, despite being on the waiting list for government houses.

Out of desperation, residents bought the houses and have been occupying them illegally as no title deeds were issued.

However, the residents of Extension 45 Ward 1, have recently experienced intimidation and threats of eviction from various sources – all outside of the lawful processes.

Last week, community members were allegedly harassed by members of a local taxi association, and ordered to vacate the government houses they are currently occupying by the end of the month.

The committee also discovered that in Extension 71 Ward 92, some occupants were lawfully allocated houses during lockdown, where they were moved from their shacks in different informal settlements to the government houses.

However, it is alleged that some of government houses are sold, and of late, there has been an influx of occupants who bought units.

Diale has strongly condemned the alleged acts of corruption in the allocation of houses in Extension 45 ward 1, and Extension 71 ward 92.

Diale said that though the committee is against the illegal occupation by residents of Extension 45 ward 1, it is more appalled by the violent acts of intimidation and abuse, allegedly by members of the taxi association.

In light of the threats made hereto, Diale said that the committee will, in consultation with the Community Safety Portfolio Committee, ensure there is policing of the area and protection offered to residents while government processes unfold to resolve these issues.

“The committee will promptly engage with the Head of Department: Human Settlements and ascertain the validity of these allegations. Furthermore, upon conclusion of a brief investigation process, the committee will lay criminal charges against all public officials involved in these unlawful processes.

“This will send a strong message to others conducting similar acts of corruption, as well as give hope to the community that indeed legislative process are effective in resolving their challenges. It is the committee’s responsibility to oversee the work of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, and ensure that services are being delivered to the people of Gauteng in a transparent, credible and lawful manner,” Diale said.

The Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has called on government departments to incorporate a plan aimed at tackling gender-based violence (GBV) into their annual performance plans.

The Minister said this when her department briefed Parliament’s multi-party women’s caucus on Thursday.

Nkoana-Mashabane said the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBV and femicide – approved by Cabinet in March this year – is still being developed and progress has been made in finalising it.

She said the plan sets out to provide a cohesive strategic framework to guide the national response to the gender-based violence crisis.

“The department has called on all government departments to integrate these NSP targets into our annual performance plans and their strategic plans, as they reprioritise their budgets due to COVID-19.

“We are committed to ensuring that departments remain gender sensitive, while implementing interventions in response to COVID-19,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

The Minister said the plan envisions a South Africa free from GBV and femicide directed at women, children and LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied) persons.

To achieve this vision, South Africa will need to centre its efforts on bringing about specific changes around the six pillars of the plan.

This includes accountability, coordination and leadership; prevention and rebuilding social cohesion to try to stop violence before it happens, and a national drive towards shifting away from toxic masculinity; restoring women dignity and rebuilding a social fabric; sufficient and sensitive cardinal justice; adequate care for support and healing; building women’s economic power and better information management to inform action.

“To achieve this vision, South Africa will have to use its efforts to move forward with the implementation of the National Strategic Plan.

“The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, together with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, has developed a monitoring and evaluation implementation plan.

“As of 30 June 2020, we submit weekly progress reports, co-signed by government and civil society, to the President,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

Cabinet has reiterated its commitment to ensure that allegations of corruption relating to COVID-19 procurement are swiftly investigated by law enforcement agencies.

The commitment was confirmed by Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, during a post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday.

“Those implicated will be severely punished, and money stolen from the State by unscrupulous companies and individuals by inflating the prices of personal protective equipment will be recovered,” said the Minister.

Mthembu said Cabinet is also pleased with the progress made by the Committee of Ministers, chaired by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola.

The committee was appointed early this month to look into corruption in the procurement of goods and services sourced for the purpose of containing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministers of Justice and Correctional Services; Presidency; Finance; Police; Public Service and Administration,and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs are part of the committee.

The team of Ministers is expected to coordinate the compilation of all the COVID-19 procurement and make it accessible to the public.

In the interest of transparency, Mthembu said, National Treasury on Wednesday published information from most of the departments and entities that have fully complied.

“National Treasury will continue with additional work to refine the submitted information for further processing. Cabinet reaffirms that law enforcement agencies will continue to be responsible for the investigative work,” said Mthembu.

The Fusion Centre, he said, which coordinates the work of all law enforcement agencies, remains on track to present its first six-weekly report (in the first week of September 2020) to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“Cabinet will give the necessary support to all law enforcement agencies. This will include giving them the resources they need to function optimally, independently, without fear, favour and prejudice in facilitating the investigation and prosecution of corruption-related cases without any further delay,” said Mthembu.

“The scourge of corruption, which manifests itself in the blatant theft and looting of State resources, is the biggest societal cancer that has the potential to erode public trust in government’s concerted efforts to improve the lives of the people.”

Cabinet during its meeting – held on Wednesday – also condemned all alleged acts of corruption and is confident that all wrongdoers will eventually be prosecuted, without fear or favour.

Cabinet has also urged South Africans to report corruption to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi says his department is looking into the non-payment of relief funds by employers to their employees.

Nxesi said this when Ministers in the economic cluster appeared before the National Assembly to field oral questions.

Addressing the house via a virtual link, Nxesi said around 700 000 beneficiaries have indicated that they have not been paid by their employers, who submitted claims on their behalf.

“…We are following up on employers who have not paid. We have made an undertaking that no matter how long it takes, if people are owed their monies, they will have to be paid after we have done proper investigations, and we have satisfied ourselves of the proper documentation, because it is equally dangerous to simply pay if the documentation is not proper,” Nxesi said.

Nxesi had been asked how his department was dealing with the challenges of employers, who have received the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefits, but have not passed on the money to their employees.

The Minister was also asked what further steps would be taken to hold those involved in alleged corruption accountable for placing the livelihood of employees at risk.

To date, some R34 billion in benefits has been distributed through employers in 7.4 million payments to recipients, in line with a commitment to provide income support for three months.

During the same period, a further R4 billion was disbursed in normal UIF benefits in 677 000 payments to beneficiaries.

Addressing the house on Wednesday, Nxesi said the non-payment of TERS benefits was being followed up.

Nxesi said in some instance, employers received the money but have not handed it over to employees.

In other instances, employees are foreign nationals, whose documentation is not sorted out because of their identification.

“We are trying to work with employers collaboratively, to deal with those issues,” the Minister said.

Three suspects, among them two police officers, are this morning expected to appear before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for allegedly defrauding and laundering proceeds from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) COVID-19 relief funds.

This comes after the trio, aged between 25 and 39, were arrested in Durban on Monday afternoon by the Germiston Serious Corruption Investigation unit assisted by their Durban counterparts.

The suspects are alleged to have fraudulently pocketed over R692 000 which was meant for a company called National Adhesive.

In a statement, Gauteng Hawks spokesperson, Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, said National Adhesive applied for COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) relief funds for their employees and their application was duly processed.

“It however emerged that the company’s banking details were fraudulently changed and an amount of R692 185.55 was deposited into a different bank account,” she said.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the account belonged to a police official from the Durban Central Tactical Response Team.

He allegedly transferred the money into different bank accounts belonging to another police official and two civilians.

Warrants of arrest were issued against the two police Sergeants and a civilian.

Mulamu said the fourth suspect was not arrested but was warned to appear in court with the other three as he was cooperating with the investigations.

Almost R240 000 of the proceeds has already been frozen while efforts to recover the stolen money are already underway.

Mulamu said the investigation team has also seized a NP200 bakkie as well as a stand that was purchased through the proceeds of crime. Both will be forfeited to the state.

In the statement, national Hawks head, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, welcomed the arrests and commended the Hawks’ Priority Crimes Specialised Investigation, Financial Intelligence Centre, National Prosecution Authority, and Asset Forfeiture Unit for the speedy investigations.

The arrests come a month after law enforcement pounced on five suspects in a similar scheme in Gauteng that fleeced the UIF of R6 million.

Acting Gauteng Health MEC, Jacob Mamabolo has directed the department to compile a full report on all long outstanding disciplinary cases.

In a statement on Monday, the MEC also urged the department to commence immediately with hearings and to fast-track cases which were already underway.

This comes in the wake of the announcement of investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) where departmental officials are implicated.

“Disciplinary action if left pending for a long period has a negative impact on the department’s performance and affect the confidence the people of Gauteng have placed on us. It also leaves staff anxious, as they are worried about their future.

“Furthermore, it constraints the department as you have people who by virtue of their transgression have demonstrated that they no longer have an interest to serve the people of our province,” Mamabolo said.

The MEC added that the department remains committed to addressing maladministration and rooting out corruption.

KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has appointed a team of experts to investigate a fire that broke out on municipal land adjacent to a plastic manufacturing factory at the weekend.

According to Dube-Ncube’s department, the factory was gutted in the fire. The incident happened a few kilometres away from the New England landfill site in uMsunduzi Municipality.

“I have requested a formal report from environmentalists, who have been on site … Although I am still waiting for this formal report, I must hasten to point out that we won’t hesitate to take action against anyone found responsible for this air pollution [cause by the fire],” Dube-Ncube said in a statement.

The investigation was expedited, as research has revealed that long-term exposure to pollutants such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide can reduce lung function and cause respiratory illness.

“These pollutants have also been shown to cause a persistent inflammatory response, even in the relatively young and to increase the risk of infection by viruses that target the respiratory tract,” said the provincial Department of Economic Development.

Dube-Ncube recently briefed the Portfolio Committee on Conservation and Environmental Affairs about the importance of clean air during this period of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The department has previously stated that it will focus its efforts on ensuring that the private sector and all spheres of government commit and work together to improve air quality.

“We are stepping up efforts aimed at cutting emissions and cleaning up the air for communities across the province. With many companies getting back to business, we are expecting an increase in air pollution,” said Dube-Ncube.

To deal with air pollution, KwaZulu-Natal is developing a comprehensive Air Quality strategy, which is expected to be concluded around 30 October 2020.

Dube-Ncube said the strategy will be implemented across all municipalities.

“Our long-term plan is to ensure that leaders of society, academics, big corporates, elected public representatives and communities adopt a single strategy for implementation to deal with air pollution,” she said.

Regarding the New England landfill site, the MEC said her department was encouraged by the positive response from a number of communities, who are part of the ‘Love Pietermaritzburg’ initiative. This comes after the department recently presented its plan aimed at turning around the situation at the site.

“We have agreed to work together with representatives of this initiative. They have also offered to share their skills and expertise in the area of waste management,” said Dube-Ncube.

The Ministerial Committee appointed by Premier Sihle Zikalala to work on the New England landfill site will continue to work with all stakeholders to deal with air pollution.

The committee includes Dube-Nube, Finance MEC Ravi Pillay, Transport and Community Safety and Liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli, COGTA MEC Sipho Hlomuka, Mayor of Umsunduzi Municipality Mzimkhulu Thebolla, uMgungundlovu District Mayor Thobekile Maphumulo and the Technical Team of officials representing the three spheres of government.